Converting to Catholicism (background; small details)

[Michael16]

Except for 6, @James83

You’re on the money. Often, the church is packed.

I’ve often heard that Mass attendance is going down. I don’t have any hard numbers.

 

[James83]

@Lara

Yes, Baptists tithe. Where I was going, there were often two tithes. Malachi was pulled out on an almost-weekly basis just before the tithe.

I appreciate helping others/trying to do what I can, but I was in a similar position to yourself RE lack of resources. It felt very pressuring.

Not to mention the pastor would arrive in his large car - as would his family members (who all had positions within the church).

One other reason the Catholic Church appeals - there is a formal process to becoming a Priest.

What is required to earn the title of ‘Pastor’? It is an issue I couldn’t quite settle with.

Thanks

 

[jf.1022]

I too was raised in the Baptist denomination, Independent Baptist to be specific and am a “convert” to Catholicism. I’ll try to give answers as best I know how.

1. Worship

I think you’re finding that the worship provided seems to be lacking something and maybe you don’t know what that is. Many have been there. I will say that we believe worship to be different than what you may have been taught. We read in Romans 12:1 that worship (Greek latria here) involves sacrifice and service (or worship is reasonable service NKJV). So what’s missing, I would say is your sacrifice united to Christ’s. So worship is more than (but not apart from) music and Bible exposition

1. Sermons

Well you’ll be a bit disappointed here. The point of the homily is generally not exposition of the passages read but is an exhortation. There are several readings that tie together during the Liturgy of the Word (I.e. the Bible readings) and after hearing we are exhorted to go live what we have just heard, but not only that we are to evangelize what we’ve just experienced (I.e. the Mass ends with the Latin ite missa est, which could be translated “she [the church] is sent).

1. Feeling good is given priority

I would say not so in Christianity in general. How I feel about anything is secondary to the truth of God. There’s only one reason to be Catholic—because you believe it’s true.

1. Israel

I understand your sentiments here. Baptists are to a large extent, historically dispensational with some newer resurgence of Reformed Baptists. This is the reason for the constant talk about helping Israel as a territorial country, because it will usher in the millennial kingdom. Catholics are not dispensational or preterists but essentially amillenial by default. You’ll find parts or hints of all in Catholic thinking insofar as it does not contradict dogma. In the same way you’ll find strands or hints of both Arminian and Reformed thought. Catholics are rarely either/or and more often both/and in theology.

Hope this helps.

 

[Michael16]

@James83,

Pastor is a priest that serves as the Chief priest of a parish and has an assistant pastor.

Yes, it’s a formal process to be ordained a priest. It takes years of training and study in seminary and possibly college. If I’m not mistaken, each priest has at least a Master’s in Theology.

Your mention of the pastor arriving in a large car and his family all having positions in the church sickens me.

 

[James83]

@Michael16

Apologies, I mean ‘Pastor’ in the Baptist church. As far as I could tell, there was/is no formal process.

Of course, formal process is no guarantee - but it at least ensures certain areas have been covered.

If I required a triple bypass, I’d prefer the qualified doctor to the individual who has watched a few YouTube videos!

Thanks

 

[Michael16]

Hahahaha, @James83.

I love @jf.1022’s points. Beautifully put.

 

[James83]

Thanks.

Yes, I’ll digest @jf.1022 's points after spending some time thinking through them (jf - thanks for the details).

Thanks again to all who replied/i’ll pop by again in a day or so after having a think through the replies thus far.

 

[Michael16]

Alrighty, @James83.

Happy New Year from across the water by the way.

 

[jf.1022]

Like many Protestants I had to read my way into being Catholic. I say “being” because I agree with Merton when he said “…what we must really do: live our theology.” For instance, it is easy to say we should forgive until someone hurts our family. This living a life of theology (see Gal 2:20) is really hard, but there is grace there to make Christ’s yoke light (Mat 11:30).

So, if you want to understand what you’re experiencing at Mass I would suggest What Happens at Mass, by Jeremy Driscoll.

 

[Michael16]

I’m an ex Protestant myself, @jf.1022.

I read my way into the Church and I prayed the Rosary home.

 

[Limoncello4021]

OP, make sure to check out The Journey Home videos on Youtube with host Marcus Grodi. Quite a number of them feature Baptists who have converted to Catholicism, and the show is all about their explanations of why they converted. I pray you keep exploring the Catholic Church because you will find the fullness of truth and beauty in her! Here’s one:

 

[BartholomewB]

As such, what is the Catholic view of what is politically known as Israel - and what is the view of the things I mentioned in relation to Baptists?

I don’t think there is an official Church position on the Israel-Palestine question other than hoping for peace and attempting to be supportive of any move toward a two-state solution.

 

[paperwight]

@James83,

Pastor is a priest that serves as the Chief priest of a parish and has an assistant pastor.
( Quote.)

Except that the OP is in the UK, and here in the UK we don’t use the term ‘pastor’ We have parish priests.

'Pastor; is more associated with non.denominational churches here.

 

[Justin_Mary]

I think it’s a shame that more Catholics don’t get in up and close with Scripture; really delve right in and know it, live it and love it.

We’d keep more Catholics that way

Maybe we would.

I definitely agree with the “live it” part.

My issue is it appears to me the focus seems to be shifting to memorizing chapter & verse and away from living the Gospel.

 

[Michael16]

I’ll have to agree with you, @Justin_Mary

I’ve seen this in myself when I’ve engaged Protestants in apologetics. I’d get so wrapped up in cracking open Bibles and throwing verses back and forth/competitive exegesis; that I’d lose the real focus on contemplating the Faith and living the Faith.

 

[Justin_Mary]

Is attendance at Catholic services in the West on a sharp decrease?

I don’t know. Like I said, I’m Blessed. We have a healthy parish. Daily Mass, two on Saturday, four on Sunday.

I went to Mass today, New Years day. One of two services. The pews were packed, many had to stand through out.

God is Good

 

[Michael16]

Amen, @Justin_Mary.

I went to the noon Mass and it was packed. Even had a nice conversation with one woman who asked me if I was new and if my son was going to RE. I also saw my son’s RCIC teacher and my niece’s male best friend who she’s eye balling as a future boyfriend.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Is attendance at Catholic services in the West on a sharp decrease?

That’s a “yes and no”.
The West is a big place. I am currently in a hugely Catholic area. Plenty of attendance here. The main problem this area deals with is when Catholics over time shift around the geographical area, usually for economic reasons like over the generations the Catholics got wealthier and moved to a nicer area and left their old church behind, or the jobs moved from Area A to Area B so the congregation moved to where the jobs are now. You end up with some churches dwindling and closing while some other parish has grown so huge that they need to build a bigger church and add Masses.

There are also dioceses (not this one, but others) that are in economic decline and have lost a lot of population generally because people left when the jobs left, so you see a lot of churches closing and consolidating in those areas.

I would say in general across the whole USA there has been some decline in attendance among the previous generations of Catholic immigrants (Irish, Italian, Polish Americans) because Catholics nowadays have smaller families, so fewer people to attend Mass, and also some of the people in the post war generations have either left the Church entirely or quit going to Mass because they don’t have the sense of sin or social stigma that used to be associated with missing Mass. On the other hand you have a lot of Latinx immigrants to USA who are still having big families and everybody is going to Mass even if a lot of them aren’t receiving Communion.

So, it’s hard to make a blanket statement about “the West”. You’d have to look at a particular diocese or particular parish.

 

[Billl]

For the past few years I’ve been away from Church (Baptist) due to what it has become -

Learning how to hear and be led by the Holy spirit can be confusing. Because each denomination has I system of belief that is bible based.

 

[VeryBlessed]

Lack of focus on the Word: as said i.e sermons, in general, had more resemblance to pop psychology/self-help videos on YouTube than to the Bible.

Yes, me too James. Protestantism is so deeply divided by so many issues, that a “smart” pastor who wants to increase his congregation will avoid these divisive issues like the plague, thus rendering all sermons quite safe, agreeable to all, but perhaps lacking in depth. Just my guess, but the emphasis on church growth may perhaps be at least partly responsible for superficial sermons.

I reverted to Catholicism after decades in really good solid Protestant churches. All the issues you mentioned, plus the disunity and more helped motivate me to make my return to the church. One thing I love about being back, is that in Catholicism, the Christian faith is so much bigger than any one person or any one theological viewpoint. It can be so beautifully deep if you really dig into it.